Bridging the gap between gaming and learning?

It is true, kids love to play. But, playing all of the time is not at all possible as it can affect their studies, but what if they are enjoying and studying at the same time?

It can undoubtedly be said that kids belonging to the present generation are so fortunate to have the interactive learning techniques by their side with an intention to attain the fun and education simultaneously.

Screen time has proved to be one of the most interactive ways of learning for children. The screen time of your children might be scaring and frustrating you, but if this is the case of a good parenting you can convert this annoying screen time into a positive one. Although the digital devices might consist of many dangers or risks in the present era but on the other hand they can also ensure varied opportunities for your kids to learn in a smarter way. So, the main question that arises here is: How to transform this scary screen time into an opportunity?

Well, this is way too easier than you think. You can incorporate learning into your kids’ screen time by the following listed ways:

  • Make sure your children are utilising the screen time for creativity rather than merely an idel consumption. You need to differentiate between the creativity and idle consumption. Notice whether your child is just sticked to the Television screen, stalking his/her favourite Youtuber, uploading live debates of the ministers or building up a hobby website. Doing homework is another aspect. You might stop your child from using digital devices for a while in order to get that monotonous homework done but screen time is such an amazing thing that you will always feel positive about it.
  • Try to cultivate the social consciousness in your children regarding the social issues that are trending in the media nowadays. Don’t force them on your children, instead ask them indirectly by engaging them in the screen time. For instance, while playing video games instead of asking directly about video games being a sexist, you can ask them about what do they think about the male and female characters in those games. Apart from this, fill up your phone’s media with those videos that are inspirational and promising for your kids’ knowledge.

  • In case you do not like any show or video and you want to stop your children from accessing it, instead of following the common methodology of saying “Because I said so”, know how to explain things to the children. Give them a reason of why did you stop them from accessing that video or game.

  • What about the cooking shows? Is your child font of these? If yes, then you can very easily incorporate that into an interactive learning. Ask your children to make the dinner on his own, through his own learning that he has attained by watching those cooking shows. He/she can make use of the Youtube videos and the foodie blogs for making the meal for the family. You and your child can together go for the shopping of the necessary ingredients and all along the way encourage your child and let him feel the ownership in this case.

  • Educational apps that are available online are a heartthrob of millions now. They are excessively used by the present generation as they are proving the majorly known statement of “Learning made fun”. The main intention of the educational apps is to engage your kids into studies but not by books instead by the interactive games, quizzes and animation. This is because, kids learn better when they are playing.

  • You cannot just ignore the shows which you hate. How about making some changes to those videos on your own? You can encourage your kids to make the parody of those videos on their own. Let them shoot and direct the videos on their own. This will not only enhance their learning and knowledge but also will help them in expanding their imagination limits. Give your kids, a chance to be as much creative as they can.

You, as a parent cannot stop your kids from using the screen time, reason being the present era that is wholly dependent on technology. The knowledge of the generation is presented mainly by the pace at which they are grabbing the technology trends. Thus, kids anyhow need to know and get used to the usage of digital devices. But, ensure that they are giving a specific amount of time to these gadgets and also, whenever they are spending their energy on screen time, see to it that the screen time is helping them learn and play simultanously.